Orientation
This is your best chance to reach large numbers of students when they first arrive, and when they’re especially receptive. Distribute information on recycling, energy conservation, local issues, and progressive courses. Some groups distribute “Disorientation Guides” that explain what campaigns are going on, some history of student action on campus, what progressive groups exist, and other information that a school administration won’t include in their orientation.

Polls and Referendums
If you need to demonstrate how much support you have for a campaign, you can either do a poll or a referendum. Develop a simple unbiased question (ex. Should the university spend $50,000 to do an environmental audit of its practices?). Choosing random people from the telephone directory will work well for a poll (ex.: ask every 20th person). Polling 200 people will give you an accurate result. You should release the poll’s results in a press release.

Most universities will let you put an issue to referendum by including it on the student government election ballot. Referendums have more credibility than polls, but they may be more work.